Carrying device for containers



Feb. 4, 1958 E. 0,. THEN CARRYING DEVICETFOR CONTAINERS INVENTOR."

v EDWARD 0. THEN 'mM/? Q/ 2110 .1 Mam ATTORNEYS Filed Dec. 25, 1955 United States Patent CARRYING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Edward 0. Then, Newark, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 23, 1955, Serial No. 555,039

6 Claims. (Cl. 29487.2)

An object of the invention is the provision of a carrying device which combines a surrounding frame member for tieing the containers securely together in juxtaposed relation, with an integral handle which extends above the containers for ready access to facilitate carrying of the containers as a unitary package.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device which is simple in construction and which is economical in the use of material. This economy is achieved by forming the handle from integral portions displaced from the frame portions which are ordinarily wasted.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device which is readily manufactured from a flat blank to facilitate production from sheet material.

Another object is the provision of such a carrying device which is readily attached in a single integral piece to the containers and in which the main support of the containers is efiected by the frame member.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of juxtaposed containers tied together for carrying as a unitary package by a carrying device embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the carrying device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a fiat partially formed blank from which the carrying device is produced; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 4-4 in Fig. 2.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a carrying device or carrier A for carrying a pair of fibre milk containers B (Fig. 1) disposed in juxtaposed relation. The containers B preferably are of the character disclosed in United States Patent 2,085,979, issued July 6, 1937, to John M. Hothersall on Container.

Such a container comprises a rectangular body having fiat side walls E which at their upper ends are formed with necked-in portions F and an immediately adjacent outwardly or laterally projecting peripheral end seam or ledge G which surrounds and secures in place a fiat top member H. In the juxtaposed relation of the containers B, two side walls E are directly opposite each other in substantially contiguous relation as best shown in Fig. l, with portions of the ledges G disposed adjacent these side walls in substantially coincident transverse relation. The immediately connecting portions of the ledges G, disposed at right angles to the ends of the transverse sections of the ledges, extend along the two outer edges of the package in continuing or endwise alignment and are termed the outer longitudinally aligned ledges or ledge portions.

The carrier A (Fig. 2) preferably is made from heavy paper or cardboard or other suitable sheet material and the outer face of the layer 21.

comprises a substantially rectangular flat horizontally disposed frame 11 having two openings 12, divided by a vertically disposed central handle 13 and proportioned to fit over and surround a pair of containers B near their upper ends. The vertical handle 13 is formed integrally with the frame 11, centrally thereof, for insertion between the containers in such a manner that it extends above the tops of the containers to facilitate carrying of the containers as a unitary package.

The frame 11 preferably is formed with upwardly and inwardly extending angularly disposed support elements or members 14 which preferably extend along lines of bend on the inner edges of the frame for engagement in the necked-in portions F of the containers B, where they engage under the laterally projecting ledges G along all of the exposed sides of the containers to fully support the containers.

The frame 11, intermediate its ends, is bent or folded downwardly along transverse lines of fold 16, 17, 18 to produce a short double layer pendant 19 which extends across the frame for its full width. The handle 13 is formed from the material cut from the blank of Fig. 3 to produce the opening 12 and emerges from this pendant 19, as a double layer member of substantially rectangular configuration which extends upwardly through the frame opening 12.

The two walls or layers of the handle 13 preferably are secured together in a suitable manner to form a rigid unitary structure. For this purpose, one layer 21 of the handle 13 preferably is formed with a rectangular finger opening 22 (Figs. 2, 3, and 4). The opposite handle layer 24 is formed with a similar coincident finger opening 25 with the exception that the material from the opening is left uncut along the upper and lower edges to produce a pair of oppositely disposed and folded tabs 26, 27 which are displaced laterally through the opening 22 to tie the layers. together.

Along the lower edge of the opening 25, the tab 26 of the layer 24 is displaced through the opening 22 and folded over the lower edge thereof into a depending position against the outer face of the layer 21 as shown in Fig. 4. The ends of the tab 26 flare or taper outwardly so as to lock with the vertical edges of the opening 22 and thus retain the tab 26 in folded over position and thus tie. the layers of the handle together. The tab 26 may be adhesively secured or stapled in place if desired.

in a similar manner, the tab 27 along the upper edge of the opening 25 in layer 24 is folded and displaced through the opening 22 in layer 21 to secure the layers 21, 24 at their upper edges. This tab 27, preferably is folded back on itself to form a thick carrying cushion for the fingers of the consumer. For this purpose, the tab 27 is first folded upwardly along the outer face of its layer 24 as shown in Fig. 4 and then is reversely folded downwardly, back on itself, and through the openings 22, 25, under their upper edges, and thence upwardly along Like the tab 26, the ends of the tab 27 are flared or tapered outwardly to lock with the vertical edges of the opening 22 to retain the tab 27 in folded position. Adhesive or staples may be utilized to supplement this holding of the tab in place if desired.

Such a carrier A preferably is made from a flat blank 31 (Fig. 3) of rectangular configuration and of outside dimensions equal to the length and width of the frame 11. An irregular portion 32, generally paralleling the outer periphery of the blank at each end thereof preferably is cut out, leaving uncut a mid-portion 33 disposed transversely of the blank. The outer edge of the cut out portion 32 defines and sets off longitudinal and transverse frame side members having on their inner edges the support members 14 formed integrally therewith. Bend or crease lines 34 are provided in the blank to facilitate bending of the support members into position.

The inner edge of the cut out portion 32 defines and sets off the layers 21, 24 of the handle 13, these elements still being connected to the transverse uncut central portion 33 of the blank. This uncut portion 33 is provided with the crease or fold lines 16, 17 and 18 to facilitate forming of the pendant 19 and folding of the overlapping double thickness layers 21, 24 into handle position. The handle layer 21 is further formed with its cut out portion or opening 22. The handle layer 24 is provided with a pair undulated oppositely disposed slits 36, 37 connected intermediate their ends by a straight slit 38 which defines and sets off the handle layer connecting tabs 26, 27. Tab 27 is further provided with a pair of spaced and parallel crease lines 39, 40 to facilitate folding of the tab into handle holding position and in a similar manner tab 26 is provided with a transverse crease line 41 to facilitate folding of this tab into handle holding position.

Thus it will be seen that all of the elements of the carrying device A are included in the single rectangular blank 31 and are integrally connected and are readily folded into working position with a minimum of waste and effort; the handle parts being displaced from the blank portions disposed inwardly of the surrounding frame portion and the handle locking elements being displaced from portions of the handle parts. To form the carrying device A from the blank 31, it is merely necessary to depress the uncut transverse section 33 to bend the blank upwardly along the crease line 16, and thence outwardly along the crease lines 17 and 18. This automatically hinges the handle layers 21, 24 upwardly into handle position and disposes the rectangular frame 11 as a flat horizontal member including two adjacently disposed rectangular loops 48, 49 and integral fiat container support members 14 (Fig. 2) for the reception of the juxtaposed containers B. The layers 21, 24 of the handle are thereafter secured together by the tabs 26, 27.

To apply the carrying device A to the containers B, the device is merely pushed down over the tops of the containers. This action bends the support members 14 upwardly into angular position and engages them within the necked-in portions F beneath the ledges G of the containers along three sides thereof, with the fiat frame projecting laterally from the containers, and thus automatically positions the handle between the containers adjacent the coincident ledge portions G thereof. The containers are thereby tied together and are ready for carrying by the device.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A carrier for a plurality of juxtaposed rectangular containers having at their top ends laterally projecting peripheral ledges, portions of which are arranged in transverse parallel relation, comprising a flat endless rectangular frame disposed in a horizontal plane for surrounding said juxtaposed containers, upwardly and inwardly extending support members formed integrally with said frame on the four sides thereof for engagement beneath said container ledges for supporting said containers, and an upstanding handle member of double layer thickness formed integrally with and displaced from a central area within 'finger opening through which said tabs are displaced for holding said tab in handle member layer securing position.

4. A carrier of the character defined in claim 1 wherein an intermediate portion of said frame is bent downwardly to constitute a pendant extending transversely of said frame for disposition between the upper portions of said containers and wherein said handle member is formed integrally with said pendant and extends upwardly between the flat horizontal sides of said frame.

5. A carrier of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises flat continuous longitudinal and transverse side members, said longitudinal side members being connected intermediate their ends by a single integral transverse member to define a pair of juxtaposed rectangular loops in said frame for confining said juxtaposed containers, and wherein said handle is integral with said transverse member and displaced from the area in at least one of said loops.

6. A blank for a carrier for a plurality of juxtaposed rectangular containers having at their top ends laterally projecting peripheral ledges portions of which are disposed in closely spaced parallel relation, comprising a flat rectangular sheet of flexible material having irregular rectangular portions out out adjacent its opposite ends inwardly of its outer periphery to produce a flat rectangular endless frame including connected longitudinal and transverse side and end members, a plurality of container support members formed integrally with and extending inwardly from said side and end members of said frame, and a transverse member connecting said longitudinal side members medially thereof, said out out portions defining within the area of said frame a pair of displaceable handle members formed integrally with said transverse member for hinging upwardly into juxtaposed relation to constitute an upstanding medial carrying handle of double thickness for said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,694,596 Greenlaw et al. Nov. 16, 1954 2,711,922 Batkin June 28, 1955 2,753,993 Platt July 10, 1956 

